OK my XD has been lowered i think 1 1/2 inches already, but there's still a good few inches between the wheel and arches, especially with an empty tank. The guy used lowering blocks on the rear, with overly long U-bolts which needed to be cut for rego. Problem is my shockers are getting a bit old, letting the thing bounce a few times before stopping completely.

I want my car to be lower and stiffer, and APPARENTLY lowering blocks are not a good idea (don't know why though) so should I replace the whole suspension front and back, or just change the shocks and front springs, and fit different blocks?

And if anyone can fill me in on why people reckon lowering blocks aren't so good it'd be great.

i could of sworn they were illigal in NSW. the best way to work out how to lower it to what you you want is first measure all 4 corners of the car from the bottom of rim to edge of the guard .not the ground to the edge and write down the figures while on flat ground im talking. now lower the front say it went 600ml to 560ml guard gap its come down 40ml ok. but make sure you move the car backwards and forwards before measuring. now for the rear say you have a gap of say 600ml throw the lowering blocks away away if they were 40ml or 1 1/2" now you would in reality have a guard gap of 640ml so you to get the rear leaf springs reset with an extra leaf. i do reccommend this. and now you tell the springworkers you want it lowered 70ml to the guard mark l/h and r/h spring also if the car has a lean to say the r/h it was down say 15 ml rear ask the respringer which spring to put into which side after all this is done you should have a car sitting at 560ml sitting at the front guard gap and 570ml in the rear (approx) - hope this helps.

Lowering blocks on leaf springs are no problem, the spring still works through its progression (the more load the stiffer it gets, basic springs 101), but on coil springs you need to get a different spring for the change in height, otherwise the spring will not work smoothly through the load change, and you shockies will be the first casualty (the will be working harder at the wrong time), then the bushes in your lower control arm (as the change in leverage, plus the shockies failing prematurely will mean more movement in the car and the lower control arm bushes. Talk to a spring works or susepension shop about the height you want to set the car to before spending many dollars.

i could of sworn they were illigal in NSW. the best way to work out how to lower it to what you you want is first measure all 4 corners of the car from the bottom of rim to edge of the guard .not the ground to the edge and write down the figures while on flat ground im talking. now lower the front say it went 600ml to 560ml guard gap its come down 40ml ok. but make sure you move the car backwards and forwards before measuring. now for the rear say you have a gap of say 600ml throw the lowering blocks away away if they were 40ml or 1 1/2" now you would in reality have a guard gap of 640ml so you to get the rear leaf springs reset with an extra leaf. i do reccommend this. and now you tell the springworkers you want it lowered 70ml to the guard mark l/h and r/h spring also if the car has a lean to say the r/h it was down say 15 ml rear ask the respringer which spring to put into which side after all this is done you should have a car sitting at 560ml sitting at the front guard gap and 570ml in the rear (approx) - hope this helps.

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